Alleged affair sparked fatal assault, court told

Salofo Aiono has pleaded not guilty to murdering Sanele Sanato, who died after an alleged assault in his south Auckland home in February 2009. File photo / NZ Herald

A man accused of murder over an alleged affair punched and stomped on an unconscious man's head so hard he left footprints on his face and splattered blood on a nearby car, a court has been told.

Salofo Aiono, 37, today pleaded not guilty to murdering Sanele Sanato, 36, who died after allegedly being assaulted in his south Auckland home in February 2009.

The murder trial, set down for two weeks, began today at Auckland's High Court.

Mr Sanato, also known as Kapelielu Motunuu, allegedly had an affair with the murder accused's wife, Tausilia.

Crown prosecutor Christine Gordon, SC, told the court in her opening statement the two men had been described as "brothers", as they were friends, had lived together and worked together.

Aiono, his wife and son had been living with Mr Sanato and another male before Aiono was called away to Samoa on family business.

While her husband was out of the country, Mrs Aiono began a "txt relationship" after she had kissed and flirted with her husband's friend, said Ms Gordon.

On the weekend before the beating, Mrs Aiono had consensual sex with Mr Sanato at his house after going out to a nightclub in Otara, she told the court.

Mrs Aiono then phoned her husband and said "something had happened" between her and Mr Sanato.

On the same weekend, the couple's son became sick and was admitted to Middlemore Hospital, and Aiono came home the following Tuesday.

After staying the night in hospital with his partner and sick son, Mr Aiono took his wife's phone and sent a txt to his friend, pretending to be his wife, and then threatening him, said Ms Gordon.

She said the accused was picked up by his brother and was driven to Mr Sanato's Manurewa house on the evening of February 25.

Aiono approached his friend, who had walked out of the garage, and told police he had wanted Mr Sanato to apologise.

After Mr Sanato allegedly threw a punch at Aiono, Aiono punched his friend.

Mr Sanato didn't retaliate and fell to the ground unconscious after the third punch but the accused kept on attacking his face, said Ms Gordon.

"[Aiono] kicked and stomped on Mr Motunuu with such force that the blood from the deceased was splattered on the car beside where the attack took place."

A witness saw Aiono attack the unconscious man's head with a piece of concrete, and Aiono left a footprint on the deceased's face, said Ms Gordon.

Mr Sanato was taken to Middlemore hospital with head and upper bodies injuries, and died the following morning.

A post mortem examination showed the deceased died from multiple blunt trauma; two significant brain injuries, three fractures to the skull and upper body and bruises.

The crown will finish its opening address this afternoon, followed by a short opening statement from defence.

A jury of seven men and five women will hear evidence in the trial over the next two weeks.